Get More Protein Without Cooking?
Have you been told to eat more protein? That’s a trick question, I’ve said it quite a lot in my messages so the answer is yes! I have provided you with a few ways to get more AND a few ways we can stop ourselves from putting it off another day. All you have to do is read this and let me know if it was helpful!
Table of Contents
First of all, what is protein?
Protein isn’t just found in “meat” like beef, poultry and fish.
Protein can be found in dairy, plant based sources, as well as powders and bars.
Protein is basically what your body uses to build and repair stuff—like muscle, skin, hair, and probably your patience if that were possible.
If skin and muscles aren’t enough to peak your interest, protein is part of the building blocks of life. (amino acids)
Seriously though, your body needs it to make enzymes, hormones, and to keep every cell in your body functioning. So yeah… it’s not just for muscles and gym bros. It’s how your organs, brain, and immune system even exist and do their thing.
Now that you are onboard – at least I hope!
How much is enough? And what happens if I don’t get enough?
The old RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is the bare minimum to prevent deficiency, not the amount needed to feel strong, stay energized, build or keep muscle, or support your hormones and metabolism.
In other words:
Just enough protein to “not fall apart” isn’t the same as enough to thrive.
Dr. Stacy Sims (I am certified by her for nutrition for menopausal athletes) recommends aiming for around 30 – 40 grams of protein post workout—especially in midlife—to support muscle maintenance, immune function, and recovery.
Precision Nutrition (I am certified with them as a nutrition coach for everyday people, competitors and sports professionals) echoes that higher protein needs become more important as we age and want to stay active, lean, and energized.
So if you’re skipping it or snacking through the day without real protein?
You might be holding yourself back from more energy, better results, and fewer cravings—without even realizing it.
You also might actually be eating in a calorie surplus. Why? See below.
Real life example of when less is more
Because protein is a double edged (what’s the opposite of sword?) spatula?? – in that it not only is low in calories so a lot can really go a long way, but it also helps reduce cravings. Less calories and less cravings. That’s really a win/win! Adding in better health because of less empty calories – ooh, we really got something here! When you crave less, you normally eat less high calorie low nutrient foods.
So eat more protein = eat less junk.
A good rule of thumb is 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight.
So if you weigh 150 pounds, aim for around 150 grams of protein across the day. That might sound like a lot at first—but when you spread it out over 3 meals and a snack (or post-workout shake), it’s totally doable.
This isn’t about hitting some perfect number. It’s about giving your body the support it needs to stay strong, energized, and actually recover from your workouts (and your life).
Where Do I Start? – Get Busy Living or Get Busy Overthinking
It’s so easy to get stuck in “perfect plan” mode. Like we can’t start eating better unless it’s grass-fed, organic, hand-massaged protein with vegetables that were raised on Mozart and composted kale.
So instead of just doing something good—we do nothing.
And then we end up on DoorDash. Again. Ain’t nobody got money for that!
Here’s the truth:
You don’t need perfect. You just need better.
And better starts at Costco in their prepared meats section. Or in your freezer where you have an emergency meal saved for “days like these”. Or in a protein shake that has 30g and doesn’t taste like sadness. Like Fairlife Nutrition Shakes.
Start small. Start realistic. Start with what you can repeat.
That’s where real change lives. That’s how you Get Busy Living.
What can you get into your fridge today to get yourself set up for success tomorrow?
Success with protein starts the day before. You can’t win if you don’t show up to practice. Here are some ideas from a blog I wrote about keeping things simple.
Prepped Foods to Purchase Ahead of Time
Fill up your cart with a rotisserie chicken and/or prepped steak strips and/or Chicken bites from Costco, or Applegate Farms Turkey from WalMart. See where I’m going here?
Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Fairlife Ultra 2% Milk.
Foods to Cook Ahead of Time (1x/week > daily!)
Ground Turkey 93% – cook up about 3lbs and put some sugar free taco seasoning in it. Use it for tacos, use it in your eggs to spice things up at breakfast. I mix it in cottage cheese with some Siete Chips for some healthy out of this world nachos. Yum.
Chicken thighs/breasts – We use chicken thighs because they are oh so juicy. We bake them at 400 degrees about 35–40 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to be safe!
The goal isn’t to cook every day—it’s to cook once, then coast for the week.
Grab and Go Options
Everything above! +
Protein Shakes, Protein Bars (just watch out because most protein bars are carb bars, meaning they give you protein but that is not where the bulk of the calories comes from)
Let’s Keep It Simple
Don’t let this become another thing you scroll past with a “Yeah, I should probably do that…”
Pick one thing from this post to do today:
- Grab a rotisserie chicken
- Toss a few Fairlife shakes in your cart
- Cook up that ground turkey and keep it in the fridge
- Or just aim to get 30g of protein in your next meal
That’s it. That’s the win.
You don’t need to hit 150 grams by tomorrow.
You don’t need every bite of protein to be grass-fed, free-range, or marinated in moral superiority.
The protein doesn’t have to be perfect for it to count.
How to stop letting perfect get in the way of good.
If your standard is that every meal has to be flawless—homemade, organic, nutrient-timed perfection—then you’ll never give yourself the space to figure out what a good enough meal looks like.
If you’re skipping cooking those chicken thighs because you don’t have the “right” recipe… or because they’re not free-range… and then end up on DoorDash eating who-knows-what, full of added who-knows-what-else—what are we even doing?
That’s not perfect. That’s sacrificing health and hoping for perfection.
So here’s the real truth:
Good Enough is the goal.
And if you let yourself aim for good enough consistently?
It will get better. Automatically. Over time. Without the burnout.
So what are you adding to your fridge today?
If you want more practical advice for YOU, not for your brother – set up a 10 minute chat with me to get started! I can’t wait to see those aha moments come to life!